Shadows and Light
by Neranimmisar
Summary: Kagome is moved to Ouran High School after the events of Naraku's death tear her from the feudal era. Immediately assigned Kyoya Ootari as a tutor. She quickly discovers that there is much to her new school she could have never expected.
1. Getting It All Started

_**Shadows and Light**_

Summary: Kagome is moved to Ouran High School after the events of Naraku's death tear her from the feudal era. Immediately assigned Kyoya Ootari as a tutor. She quickly discovers that there is much to her new school she could have never expected.

_For all the talk of darkness, some people forget; that without light there could be no shadow._

**Chapter One:** _Getting It All Started_

_"How do you even have the money for this mom? A couple weeks here and we'll be bankrupt for years." _Kagome blinked skeptically as her head went slowly backward, a failed attempt to take it all in at once. The buildings were all colossal and the courtyard alone was at least as big as all the land they owned at the shrine. Everything screamed of it being a place of people with means far beyond her small family. It was as if someone had taken a prism and held it over the grounds, breaking the colors into vibrant hues that reached nearly ever corner and nook that wasn't a perfectly sculpted walkway or impressively long fountain. The winter snow was cleared neatly from the paths but lines of color played along the sparkling surface anywhere else. _"The fountain has it's own heater and if it didn't reflect the light then I would have thought it to be empty. I think the peeing cherub is a bit poor taste but I guess rich people just do whatever happens to be in fashion. It's really pretty but I know mom can't possibly afford to send us to this sort of school."_

She sighed to herself and sat down on one of the benches, she had a meeting to turn in her paperwork to one of the secretaries but it wasn't for another half-hour so enjoying the piece and quiet of the parklike yard was a nice break.

_"Reminds me a little of the feudal era...not that I want to think about it. More European architecture but the flora is just lovely." _She shook her head, pulling back out the envelope her mother had given her to pass onto the staff. She knew it was good for her to trust her mom and it was sealed so if she opened it they'd know she got into it. _"What are you thinking sending Souta and I to schools that are so expensive?"_

Souta wasn't going to the Ouran High School with her, he was at a nearby elementary school that she assumed was owned by the same people that ran this private school. All mom told her was that she didn't need to worry about the money but she wouldn't tell her where it was coming from. All too mysterious for her tastes...she was already afraid she'd have nothing in common with the kids but she couldn't return to her school.

After they'd defeated Naraku and the well closed she had failed her final exams and needed to repeat the year of education. No public school would take her so she had to attend a private school.

_"I'd just assumed it would be some small place near home...that we were already short on money. Mom acts like they already accepted me here but that's not true." _She repeated the sigh, it was a action that she'd become intimately familiar with ever sense she'd lost Inuyasha. Pushing away that painful thought she instead looked at the envelope like it was a traitor. _"She said if I gave this to the secretary though that I would be starting with the rest of the new semester tomorrow. I'll have missed opening ceremonies but that wouldn't be something to cry over. Then again, maybe I've finally just driven her mad..."_

She pushed off the bench and moved for the inside again, even though it was nice to relax the weather was still chilly and she didn't want to be late. The inside didn't fail to be any less impressive than the out. Grand staircases wrapped in crimson and framed with gold curled to upper floors where the lower parts of the walls and any area without carpeting was a lovely marble. The ceilings had renaissance-esque paintings all over and it seemed that no surface was boring or uncovered by something those inside would find ugly or uninteresting. _"Maybe I shouldn't have just sat for a couple minutes...it'll take forever to find the office..."_

Thankfully she found someone that worked there and they escorted her to the lovely offices, very polite and professional. Though they kept glancing at her old school uniform like she was wearing a gorilla costume. _"It's not that bad..."_

The secretary was offering disbelieving eyes and a false smile you might give someone asking a stupid question when Kagome handed over the envelope. "Miss. The registration for the new semester closed two days ago. The school year has already begun."

"I was just told to give you that." Kagome answered, resisting the urge to let her eye twitch at the woman. _"Don't gotta give me that look...I was just doing as I was told."_

The secretary was still unconvinced it was obvious but apparently she was up for playing along and opened the envelope. Two leather bound folders that were white with a red pattern worked into each of the corners slid out. One was an average paper size and one was more like a box but about a quarter of the size of the first. She opened the larger one first and then paused instantly, like she'd seen a ghost.

Kagome didn't even get the chance to comment before she was through one of the other doors in the office. Smiling a little after her Kagome sat down to wait. _"I figured she was wanting to laugh at me. Serves her right...wish she would have told me what was in there though..."_

"Miss Higurashi, I'm so very sorry. I didn't realize who you were." Suspicious had transformed into sweetness and her very words dripped with newfound respect. Kagome teardropped as she blinked slowly at the rapid buttonhook of treatment. "I'll have a class schedule drawn up while security comes and escorts you to get your uniforms. I mean...if you don't mind? You aren't busy are you? We can have it brought to you."

_"Did I die and go to wonderland?"_ Kagome looked around to make sure she was the only one there and then finally shook her head in a slow negative. "Um...no, I have the afternoon free to do whatever you need me to do here."

"I'll read through your file while you are fitted and have things prepared by the time you get back." The woman insisted, bowing low and giving the security guards strict orders to take Kagome wherever she needed to go.

"Do I really need security to walk around?" She asked with a idle curiosity as they walked. Not much made her nervous after spending her days fighting demons in feudal japan but it was still sort of strange. Keeping in step and looking at them but they didn't answer and didn't look at her so she let out another of many deep breaths and found another shock when she reached a room busy with school kept seamstresses. _"I can't believe this is for real..."_

It was a little embarrassing to be in just her underwear to get fitted...did she really need so much attention for just a school uniform? It was longer than the skirt at her last school and she didn't really like the yellow color but it seemed silly to complain. They started sewing it right there in front of her...sort of fascinating. "_I didn't realize rich people were actually this pampered. I guess it's nice but I don't see how it's needed."_

"Miss Higurashi. You want to get a tutor for some of your classes after your slight mishap last year?" It was unnerving a little when the secretary from before just popped out right next to her.

_"Slight mishap? I failed almost every exam but history." _That was bittersweet.

"It would be really nice if I could get one actually." She had to agree. "But isn't that sort of expensive?"

"Miss Higurashi we will spare no expense to make certain that you not only surpass the issue of your previous year but you will excel in every course you choose to take." She seemed so serious when she said it. "I will speak with the Chairman and make certain you have a great tutor to work with."

Then she was gone again and Kagome didn't have a chance to reply. Though she was going to have to find out where all this money was just materializing from. The idea of her mom working until she died to try to pay off her loans didn't at all appeal to the young woman. It was her mistake and her family would suffer.

She broke the jewel, she made the promise to fix it, she fell stupidly in love with someone already in love with someone else. If mom wanted this so badly she'd gotten them to treat her so well she would have to do her best. _"She always wanted me to be a doctor...maybe I should really just concentrate on studies from now on so she won't have to be worried about me her entire life._

_"_"Miss?" The voice finally drew her from the sobering thoughts. "Should I fetch a nurse?"

"Oh no." Kagome raised her hands and shook her head quickly. "I'm fine. Just daydreaming...you finished already?"

"We already had some ready to be fitted but you'll only have two for now. The other weeks worth and the summer uniforms will be delivered to you next week." The older lady working with her explained as Kagome took the box she was holding.

"Next week? That's so fast." Kagome observed. "You must be quite the seamstress to get so much done at once. Thanks for your help. I should go find the secretary before she hunts me down again."

"Thank you miss." The older woman stared after young Kagome with mild curiosity, she wasn't used to much more than complaints from the majority of the student body.

It wasn't a long walk and there was so much to look at in the hallways Kagome had to admit she didn't mind the way it took her mind off her troubles. Just walking around might soon become a past time.

"Miss Higurashi, just in time. Does this schedule appeal to you? Do you need me to rework anything?" The secretary turned her monitor around, still the pillar of fake sugary kindness.

"Wow, actually most of those are things I'll need for what I was thinking about." Kagome commented as she looked it over. Most of them were things she'd need if she wanted to pursue being a doctor someday so she could take care of her mom and family instead of them always taking care of her.

"Also, I spoke with the Chairman and a boy named Kyoyo Ootori will be working with you on the tutoring. He is a year ahead of you but he's the highest scoring academic student in the school." She explained. "If you find him less than adequate let us know and we will find someone else for you."

"Um thanks...but that sounds fine." Kagome agreed. _"Do they make this much fuss over anyone accepted? That seems silly but it's not like I'm special."_

It wasn't too long before she had her uniforms, class schedule, and information to take home to her mother. They even gave her a school limo ride home, it was all very awkward, but when she walked back into her house and the way dinner smelled made her push that out of her mind. Her mom would want to see her happy, and she couldn't keep letting her mom worry so much.

"Did it all work out honey?" Mom was always so warm, her apron on and the soft smile on her face while she worked at the stove was such a common memory for the teenager.

"Yeah." Kagome agreed. "Are you sure you have enough money for this mom? It seems really really expensive and this place is suppose to be as much as any college. Couldn't I just go to a smaller local school."

"It's fine Kagome." Mom laughed at her. "I told you that Grandpa won a bunch of money when he was playing majong at the casino."

It was such a obvious lie but Kagome couldn't bring herself to pry at the way mom looked, it was the first time she seemed truly happy in weeks. So often lately she'd been around but her eyes were distant and she always seemed worried, today it was if some great burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

"If that's me going to school I have to do well." Kagome told herself with a mental nod, moving to help with the veggies for dinner. "I can't let mom and everyone take the burdens for me anymore."

_**The following day...**_

All the girls and boys both were so cute or pretty or handsome...

Kagome felt a little out of place as all the other girls had the latest styles of hair or accessory and she had her old backpack and no form of ribbon or hairpiece to accent anything. No jewelry.

_"I don't like jewelry."_ She reminded herself...the only necklace she'd worn for so long was a curse. Whispers followed her and that was nerve racking as she walked to the room that was her homeroom. Looking it over before heading (and stopping shortly after) inside.

It was creepy.

There were twins sitting at the same desk in the middle of the room waiting with some other students...well waiting wouldn't be the right word. They were handsome in their own way, both having a pale salmon, almost pink colored hair in a short sort of roguish style.

One was caressing the cheek of the other and speaking softly. "Oh my Hikaru, you can't just say things like that. Of course I want you to share my desk..."

Most of the other girls seemed outright fascinated by this bizarre behavior but Kagome made a disgusted face and moved quickly to the seat nearest the door. _"Incest? And with twins? What the hell did mom get me into? What exactly do they teach is okay to rich people?"_

She was staring at her lap and glad that they were too busy with each other to notice the expression she'd offered. She didn't want to offend anyone on her very first day, more or less anyone in her own class, but that was just sick.

"Guys." Haruhi leaned back to the twins. "Calm down okay."

"What Haruhi, are you jealous?" One asked, leaning forward to snake an arm around her right arm.

The second getting the left at the same time added. "You want to join us Haruhi?"

The girls in the room squealed at the behavior, a couple seemed ready to faint.

"Drop dead." Haruhi commented as she pulled her arms free with a baleful glance back at them before crossing the appendages over her chest.

_"Gay three way twins? Why are so many girls turned on by that sort of stuff? Nothing about a guy on a guy gives me fluffy romantic feelings, more like I'm glad my breakfast was small this morning."_ Kagome pulled out her notepad and was carefully arranging her book and desk so she could try to not think about the rest of her class. _"Mom, I'm really trying...but I guess it's gonna be harder than I could have imagined to fit in and do well."_

"Hey there's a new girl." One of the twins finally noticed, the other following his gaze but Kagome just kept on like she didn't see them at all. "I didn't hear anything about that."

"Me either." Several of the other students spoke up with commenting about not knowing about a new student joining the class.

"What's your name anyway?" The twins were in front of her before she'd paid enough attention to notice.

"Um, Kagome." She managed, glad they weren't about to kiss anymore at least. "Kagome Higurashi."

"Higurashi?" They both repeated it at once. "Nope, don't recognize, what does your family do?"

_"Just put up with it. You'll have to sometime anyway."_ Kagome thought idly. "They run a old shrine in Tokyo."

"So are you a honor student like Haruhi?" One asked, then got the light-bulb idea expression and hit a fist in his opposite hand. "Hey, another commoner might make a good friend for Haruhi."

"A girl in particular." The other one agreed.

Kagome just glanced between them, it was annoying they hadn't even introduced themselves back, they just called her a commoner and continued to speak about her like she wasn't there. Before she could snap at them for their rude attitudes the bell rang and the professor was shooing everyone to their seats.

The day wasn't so bad when class was going on and the class didn't really seem to worry about her too much, they seemed to have their own social things going on. Just as well, Kagome wasn't anti-social but she wanted time to work and study instead of being worried about a bunch of friends. By the time the day ended she was ready for the lack of flirting between the brothers though, it was pretty disturbing to witness it. _"Girls here must be really bored if that's what does it for them."_

She usually tried not to be too judgmental, as long as no one tried to push it on her she wouldn't say anything as to her own feelings about it. Her teacher said that her tutor was in a club in one of the music rooms. At least that might give her some peace after the days events.

_**ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo**_

"Aw what do you mean Kyoya?" Timaki asked with puppy eyes, getting into costume with the rest of the club members. It was a samurai theme again today, one the girls usually seemed to enjoy and the costumes were always so comfy! "But your girls will be disappointed."

"Nothing I can do." Kyoya answered without a change in his usual tone.

"It's fine." Haruhi commented as she exited from changing herself. "Mori is a lot like Kyoya, he can take his customers for the day right?"

"What?" Mori slumped as a dark cloud appeared over his head.

Honey patted Mori on the back with a comforting expression. "It's okay Mori-chan! You aren't really like Kyoya! I'm sure Haruhi was just kidding!"

The twins were turned around snickering and Kyoya's eye twitched a little.

"Who were you asked to tutor all of a sudden anyway?" Haruhi changed the subject as Mori still seemed so depressed at the comparison.

"Some new girl. I haven't gotten back any information on her yet." Kyoya replied, jotting something down in his notebook as he always was. "The school specifically asked me to get involved."

"Always good to owe the school a favor." One of the twins pointed out.

"No way he'd tutor anyone otherwise." The other added.

"That's true." Haruhi agreed, putting a finger to her lips. "He's pretty ruthless that way. I guess you aren't really like him at all Mori."

That seemed to brighten the taller man's mood and he straightened back up a little. Honey beamed at Haruhi and Kyoya shook his head. "Just keep a handle on finances when I can't be here each moment."

"We'll be great as we always are!" Tamaki burst in, holding up a fist and posing. "When at our greatest losses we'll pull through and all who visit the Host Club will be awed and amazed with the way we'll make you seem as if your absence means absolutely nothing to us."

The twins fell back over laughing as Kyoya's eye twitched a little again.

They paused when the door opened and the girl from their class stepped inside, though she lingered near the door staring at them.

Kagome wasn't sure what to think of it. What the hell were they getting dressed for? A play? The second day of school? That seemed unlikely.

"Um...is..." She dug around to pull out the piece of paper, reading the name. "Kyoya Ootori here?"

"Hello miss." Tamaki's hands were on hers before anyone else could intervene. "I am glad to welcome you to the Host Club where we will find a way to make you smile at all moments. Consider me your humble king and you'll be one of our lovely princesses."

_"Do the girls here fall for this?"_ Kagome thought as she looked at him. "Um, so he's not here?"

"I'm right here." Kyoya spoke up. "I just had some club business to attend before I could begin lessons with you. I apologize for making you wait."

He seemed so robotic, even if he was charming, it was all practiced.

"Sure, want me to go outside...I don't want to um...interrupt anything." Kagome said trying not to look around too much.

"It'll only be another moment, I need to put away the club notes and gather my books." He said politely, heading away.

She couldn't see his eye color behind his glasses, though at least of the kimono costumes his was the closest thing to something more modern, a dark blue with silvery buttons and trim that was actually somewhat similar to the boys jackets at her old school. The rest had colorful kimono's with various patterns and there was sure a variety of people there. At least the one teaching her looked the most normal...but like demons it might not mean anything.

_"Why the hell do they have a kid here? They touch children too?" Wait, where'd the cheesy guy go that was talking to me before? _Kagome glanced to a corner where the blonde guy was hiding away from everyone and had the twins nearby muttering to him.

"Don't worry about them too much." Haruhi commented, walking over to smile at Kagome to try to make her more comfortable. "They're sort of used to people fawning over them...they might come off as strange but they're good people."

"Sure." Kagome did her best 'things are fine' smile. "Are you preparing for a play?"

"Not exactly." Haruhi answered. "The host club..."

"Entertains beautiful young ladies such as yourself with too much time on your hands." Tamaki was apparently over the initial perceived insult and trying again. Eyes sparkling and fingers caressing her hands. "I hope you'll come in and spend a little time with us."

"So...you are like...male consorts? What's the word, gigolo?" Kagome asked. "They really do let kids in rich schools get away with anything."

Tamaki was instantly back in the corner and the twins were laughing too hard to comfort him that time.

"Not exactly." Haruhi was left to answer and swallowed a little nervously herself, it could sort of look that way. "We just spend a little time with people. It's just to make people smile."

"Sure." Kagome repeated the smile from before.

_"Great. I think I made it worse._" Haruhi thought, glancing at the way their useless 'leader' was melting away on the floor nearby. "Anyway, I hope your studies with Kyoya go well."

"Thanks." Kagome answered, it was the first normal sentiment she'd gotten in a while today.

"Are you ready Miss Higurashi?" Tamaki returned with a briefcase in one hand and back in the school uniform.

"Yeah." Kagome agreed, moving to follow him out of the room. "Um, nice half meeting you."

"We never introduced ourselves." Honey commented thoughtfully after she left with the vice-president. "We'll have to do that next time."

"Mmm." Mori agreed.

"Wow, I like her. She's funny." The twins commented between each other, laughing enough to fall over again when Tamaki repeated 'gigolo' in a horrified whisper.

Kagome meanwhile followed Kyoya to a side study room that had been separated for them and had most of the materials they'd need already there along with two school assistants for anything they might need fetched.

_"This place gets stranger and stranger. Hopefully this guy is as smart as the lady secretary said."_ Kagome thought as she sat down, glancing over at the board as her new tutor began to write on it. He seemed very serious.

**End Chapter**

Hope folks like it. Wonder if this is too odd of a couple. But I've had much stranger...

_-Nera_

_P.S._ Wonder how many chapters I should wait for a kiss...


	2. Crash Course in Falling

_I have spent much of my life flinching with pain as I tried to pull out the threads that bound the shadows of my past to me. _

**Chapter Two:**_ Crash Course in Falling_

_"He's still going..." _Kagome thought vaguely, risking a glance at the windows and the setting sun outside. _"I wanted a good tutor but will I have a life outside of this place?"_

They were finally on the last of her homework and she couldn't imagine how he would finish whatever he had to do and still make it to school the next day without being exhausted. She'd commented on it but he'd just waved it away and pushed her back to the math they'd been working on at the time. He was very strict but probably the most intelligent person she'd ever met, he'd managed to help explain everything she'd had the slightest issue with throughout the entirety of the evening.

Some of the courses they'd assigned her she wasn't really prepared for, they'd spent the longest time on biology where she had very little experience and he'd given her a complete crash course. It absorbed the time, she could barely believe that it was after seven when they'd started this at quarter after four. Parts were boring but he managed to make most of it fairly interesting, he came off as cool but there was a charisma that drew her in enough to make her overlook the majority of the less interesting problems.

He wasn't happy though.

She could tell by the way he'd gotten just slightly shorter with her as time had gone on. Not that he'd ever ceased to be a perfect gentlemen, there were just small signs that he was irritated she could pick up on as time progressed. She was naturally empathetic and if it wasn't for how practiced she was with reading people emotionally then she doubted she would have sensed a difference at all.

They were looking over History, but it was the subject she was least concerned with. She knew that particular subject possibly better than anyone else in the school. After the incident with Naraku, when the past had been lost to her, she'd gotten obsessed with it. She'd spent every free moment she had for half a year searching through every history book of Japan. Hoping, praying, begging fate for a glimpse or shadow of her former friends and companions.

As a result she'd also picked up a lot of history of other countries and the world in general. When she'd failed to find anything in the books she'd gotten on her own country, she'd started to search through other histories and mythologies. Anything that could possibly have a glimmer of her past within.

Yet there was nothing...all she received for her trouble was a single A on a otherwise fail filled report card.

She blushed and her train of thought broke as her stomach rumbled loud enough that even Kyoya had paused.

"Sorry." She apologized immediately. "It's getting a little late...but I'm not worried about History. It's the one thing I'm really good with."

The way he stared she wondered if he was pondering if she was lying or not.

"That's all for now then." He finally commented after glancing at the time. "We'll continue tomorrow."

He was already picking back up his notes and other things, putting everything into order, as if he'd just dismissed her like any other professor. Outside of his youth, he pulled off the image of someone in charge of things, she could picture him as a teacher not just a tutor. _"I wonder if that's what he's training for."_

"Anything I can do to help?" She asked, smiling in a more friendly manner now that she was free from lessons for a minute. It seemed best to check.

"No." He answered. "Perhaps you should head to get dinner."

She pushed the blush away as her stomach rumbled again. "I suppose so. I'm off for the train then. Thank you for your time Kyoya, I really appreciate all the help."

She headed off, as he still seemed to want to fiddle with things in the room, as if he was preparing for the next day. _"Did they reserve a room just for me? Naw, that seems a bit much even for such a place as this."_

**Counterpoint...**

He glanced after the girl, considering her thank you a short moment before returning his eyes to the papers he was shuffling. She was behind in most of the subjects she was taking, math and biology he'd be teaching her almost from scratch.

_"What was she doing in her last school to be so far behind? Daydreaming most likely." _He was vaguely annoyed with the situation. He'd noticed her start to lose focus a couple of times during the unexpectedly long lesson before he'd had to get her back on track. _"I agreed to be a tutor not a life coach...why does father want me to work with her for the school anyway?"_

He hadn't yet had the time to look up anything about her, he'd sent comments out to his contacts but had yet to get the chance to check them. His day had been busy trying to finish what he could of his own homework at lunch and during his study period so he wouldn't have to be up as late this evening. Though it wouldn't take him too long to finish what remained of his own obligations it was frustrating that he wouldn't be able to balance the books for the club at least until the end of the week.

_"By then Tamaki could have bankrupted us."_

_"At least she doesn't seem stupid..."_ He was doing his best to make the absorbtion of his free time not seem as bad as it could be. _"When she was paying attention she was doing well. She seemed to want to learn, which is much further than some of the students here."_

He eyed his laptop and then his homework, taking a few minutes to read about his student couldn't hurt at all. He had to remain on good terms if he wanted to take the most advantage of whatever it was her family did to get her all of this attention.

Curiosity got the better of him and he opened it up and turned on the power before flipping one of the books open. He might as well finish up before he left as he was already there so late into the evening.

He'd finished some of his assigned reading before moving back to the portable computer and typing a few things before noting having a few new email's. Most he wasn't concerned with but the information he'd gotten back on the girl was there.

As he scanned he started to frown slowly. There was no money in the background on her. As it was it seemed her family was barely managing to afford the shrine where she supposedly lived. Her family wasn't rich, they were steps from being incredibly poor from what his contacts had returned for him. She'd been sick half the last year of school.

_"Well that explains the lack of knowledge." _He thought with a frown now firmly in place. _"But why on earth would father want me to spend my time on someone without a return? Is he not aware of how much they're actually worth?"_

_"No. If I could get this information in a single day then he would have it already. There's something beneath the surface." _He concluded as he finished the view of the information and returned a email that he wanted them to figure out how she was paying for her time at the school. That should give him a better idea of what was happening.

He closed the computer and glanced at the clock. Almost eight.

_"Better head out and finish at home."_ He decided, the sun was almost completely vanished beyond the horizon, the sky a wounded purple as the moon took over it's place.

**"I hate this place! It's too damn big!"** The voice was new, but he was already familiar with it.

Kagome had gotten lost trying to find the way out, with the light different everything wasn't familiar and she had a hell of a time figuring out where to go in the maze of hallways. She wasn't sure how long she'd been searching but it was getting creepier as time passed and the sun was falling further. She'd have to pack a flashlight with the rest of her books in the backpack tomorrow.

She'd finally lost her temper, not realizing she wasn't more than a turn away from where she'd started, screaming at the walls in frustration of being stuck.

"No need to scream." Kyoya coming calmly around a corner nearly ended her misery with a heart attack. She had to have jumped a full foot from the ground when he talked and appeared so suddenly. "If you needed help finding your way you could have asked."

She leaned on a wall nearby after the near death experience and breathed deeply. "Yeah I suppose. I didn't want to bother you anymore. You'd already helped me so much today. It seemed like wasting your time...and I thought I'd be okay."

"Come on. I'll have my driver drop you off." He gestured vaguely and headed opposite the way she was about to go, forcing her to speed up to fall into step.

"You don't have to do that. I can take the train." She answered instantly, feeling like a idiot and embarrassed he'd heard her lose her temper.

"The last train leaves in two minutes. You'd never make it in time." He pointed out, still leading the way through the now mostly dark halls without missing a beat.

"Oh." She commented, going quiet otherwise as she fell a little behind his step so she could follow. "I...aaaah"

Her statement was paused as she didn't realize they had been approaching steps and the sensation of free falling broke her off instantly. Then she heard a crashing sound and felt arms wrapping around her. It was scary but she wasn't hurt. She'd only fallen a couple steps before he'd caught her.

He steadied her before asking. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." She nodded, gaining her footing and kicking herself mentally for the mistake. "I couldn't see the steps...are you?"

"I'm fine." He replied in the short way she was starting to realize meant he was annoyed. "I'm not sure about my computer."

"Oh your laptop was in the bag!" She realized it as he commented. "I'm so sorry. How much was it?"

"More than you can afford." He returned, lifting back up his bag. The sounds of shifting metal against metal a sign pieces had at least broken off.

She went quiet after that, it was a sharp slap back to reality, he was only doing this because he'd been assigned too by the school. He probably was getting more and more pissed at her as time went on. She held back the sigh and went more carefully down the steps when he started moving again, following him still. She felt like dirt that he would have to also drive her home after she'd wasted his entire evening.

_"I have to be more careful..." _She thought, finally releasing that sigh. "Um...thanks. For catching me..."

"I couldn't just let you fall." He returned with a shrug, like it was just the way things were.

"Well, you could have." She smiled some when they reached the courtyard, it had more lighting even at night and she could actually see. "A lot of people would have, especially after I used up their whole evening. So thanks."

"Cars already waiting." He nodded toward the limo.

_"Great...way to make me feel more out of place." _She eyed the expensive car like some sort of odd beast but got in after he opened the door then gave her a slightly cold look. She didn't really want to make him wait after that. _ "Wonder if I'll ever fit in here."_

She gave her address to the driver and looked out the window, eyeing the expensive homes around the school somberly. She couldn't tell her mom she didn't like it though, not when her mom just wanted her to succeed so badly. She'd go in and say her day was hard but it was great and that she'd made some friends.

_"Tamaki is getting to me."_ Kyoya thought as he watched the defeated expression on Kagome's face. _"He'll never forgive me if he hears I let her walk home being so sad. As it is she lives pretty far so I might as well try to keep her entertained."_

"You did well, considering that you didn't seem to have much experience in your last school." He commented. "The lessons shouldn't take as long once we've gotten you caught up on some things. The staff mentioned you were sick a lot, it's nice to see you are feeling better."

_"I wish I were."_ She thought idly, turning back and offering a smile anyway. She had no reason to take out her personal problems on the guy helping her catch up. "Seems I've built up a resistance."

"Not too common." He replied. "Generally people of poor stamina stay that way. You are a lucky young woman."

_"If you only knew." _She kept up the conversation despite herself. "I know. I'm still a little amazed at it all. Being at a new school and such. It's all so different there than public school."

"You'll manage. Haruhi is a honor student but not from a rich family like most of us and is very popular." He commented, remembering how awkward she'd been but how completely different Kagome was in comparison. Exceptionally more feminine would be one of the first qualities that came to mind.

"Yeah, but she wanted to be there." Kagome answered, glancing at the limo. "This is out of place for me. I'm only at the school cause mom wants me there. I don't want to disappoint her."

"You'll do fine." Kyoya answered. "You have a brilliant tutor."

She laughed finally at that. "Modest too."

"No time for that." He gave a more genuine smile when he finally got her to laugh, noting they were reaching her home a lot earlier than he'd expected. His driver definitely earned his pay. "I wouldn't worry so much about it. I'll see you tomorrow after school?"

"Yes." She nodded at that, getting out of the car before he could move to offer to hold the door himself. "Goodnight Kyoya."

Then it was closed and they were driving off again. He glanced back at the long set of steps she was running up to get the house at the top where the shrine must be. _"Now I just need to get out of father what it is that he wants out of all of this."_

He couldn't help but remember the slight smell of cherry blossom's that had clung to her when he had stopped her from falling down the stairwell. She'd been nothing but kind to him even if he'd been a bit irritated the whole time they'd been working together.

He pushed that aside, not giving it much more thought. He needed to approach his father and discover just what they were getting out of him spending his time with her teaching her.

**Not long later...**

"If you succeed in helping her become an honor student then I'll be forced to consider you instead of your brothers when it comes to the company." His father might as well have grown another head and started singing opera. For as trained as he was in keeping a straight face, Kyoya couldn't help but gape at his father for a long moment.

"You aren't a philanthropist as far as I know." He managed finally after the shock of the statement finally settled and he was able to return to a reasonable conversation. "Why then do you want to help a girl with no foreseeable future?"

"It isn't your place to ask Kyoya." His father answered, though he could guess it involved some sort of outside source. "You have been acting up a lot recently and I tend to let a lot slide as you are still a teenager and prone to mistakes...don't press your luck. Do you intend to go against the offer I've made you."

"No father." He bit his tongue to keep from saying anything else. It was more than he could have hoped for. He was quite prepared to accept that sort of agreement if that was what his father wanted. His curiosity could be pushed aside for the greater good for the time being, if he could usurp his brothers without them being even vaguely aware of the agreement he had it would make it all the easier for him.

"Good, then you are dismissed Kyoya." The man gestured him away lightly and he bowed before leaving the office and moving toward his own room. It was late, he'd managed to finish most of the work he needed but still had to write part of a paper before he slept. Tomorrow would be a little rough but he would manage, he had to help this bizarre poor shrine girl so he could help himself.

**End Chapter**

Wow, I'm simply amazed at the amount of attention this fiction has gotten. I'm not even sure how to respond other than to say thanks to all my reviewers and favorite-ers?

-Nera

P.S. There is a clue in the first chapter as to who is backing Kagome's schooling. Though it won't be a mystery longer than another chapter or two.


	3. Stress and Normalcy

_Beauty deprived of its proper foils and adjuncts ceases to be enjoyed as beauty, just as light deprived of all shadows ceases to be enjoyed as light._

**Chapter Three:** _Stress and Normalcy _

The next few days went much like the first had. Kagome did her best not to act as disgusted as she felt whenever the twins were feeling each other up, which was entirely too often in her opinion. They'd even do it in the middle of lessons so the girls would swoon around them, she was already certain she didn't want the ones turned on by that sort of thing as people she commonly spent time with.

She'd taken to sitting with Haruhi as the only other semi-normal person that attended the school, though frustratingly the twins would often come and sit with them and continue the sick soft porn act. Sometimes other members of the Host club they were all a part of would come and sit with them as well. Most of them weren't too horrible, the twins frightened her the most.

There was something different about Haruhi that Kagome couldn't quite put her finger on yet but figured she'd catch onto it out eventually. It was just nice to have someone that understood what average things were in society, some of the things she'd mention people just looked at her like she was speaking Egyptian. At least Haruhi understood the basics of things like the grocery store, apparently the rest of the Host Club was considering going to one as a educational outing.

That night being friday there was some sort of event going on with the club that was suppose to be special but she doubted she'd attend. She had a lot of homework she didn't want to take up any of Kyoya's weekend with it if she could help it. With everything she still needed to know to catch up to her classes he'd been even more involved with her lessons after that first day. She thankfully at least hadn't missed the train again or needed anymore rides home. His attitude had gotten better as the week progressed, as if he wasn't as annoyed as he'd been that first night. That helped a little, but he'd begin to look more exhausted as the days pressed closer to the weekend so she figured she was to blame.

"It's sort of nice to finally be understanding things with some of my courses." Is what she managed to say at lunch when Haruhi asked how the first few days of lessons had gone.

"Kyoya's pretty smart." Haruhi answered with a neutral nod, after considering the answer. "Just don't let him work you too much. You should come to the event after school. It's a spring styled theme and they even shipped in cheery trees that were in blossom. The twins will probably be too busy to really bother you much."

Kagome smiled a little at that, appreciating not just the invite. It was nice that someone at least understood that the intimacy between the brothers did bother her. "I dunno. It sorta depends on what other homework I end up with. I already have a bunch of math and a paper to write. History I'm nearly done with thanks to the Economics teacher leaving the classroom for a bit...at least there isn't any homework there. That class everyone here seems to think is easy but I just can't grasp most of it that well."

"It's only required for a semester. Most of them take more because they'll end up in business." Haruhi pointed out with a smile. "They did kind of grow up on it."

"Well you don't have a problem either..." Kagome muttered, pushing the veggies around on her plate dejectedly. "This place is all rich folk and genius's."

"So which one are you? You say you aren't rich, are you lying?" Haruhi was trying to cheer her up with the joke but Kagome's shoulders only sunk an extra half inch.

"Neither, I don't fit here at all. I'm only doing as well as I am cause I have all the extra help from Kyoya. Otherwise I'd probably already be failing again. Maybe I should have just repeated a year somewhere..." She really didn't feel like eating anymore, but she knew if she didn't her stomach would start back up during tutoring. That got her to slowly work at the food on her plate.

"As you just said, you missed a lot last year." Haruhi shrugged at her. "No one can know something they weren't taught. Kyoya said you just needed some time to catch up to everyone else and you'd do well right?"

"I suppose so." Kagome offered a light smile, not wanting to let her depression move over to her only real friend or frighten them away.

"See, you'll be fine. Just takes a bit to get the swing of things." Haruhi reassured with a smile. "You should take the break and at least look around, they put a lot of time into setting things up. Besides, if you work too hard you'll burn out and it'll be worse later."

"Assuming he lets me off for it." Kagome smirked as she thought about how strict Kyoya had gotten. "He told me he expects me to eat fruit in the morning so it'll wake me up more and make me more alert in classes. How strange is that?"

"Really?" Haruhi had to pause to think about it. Sipping their water. "I never thought he'd be so involved for a tutoring job. He's even playing nutritionist."

Kagome shrugged a little, still amused at the memory of how serious he'd been when he'd said it to her. "Besides, I don't think I really fit in with the Host Club people...do you think they'd even be okay with me being there?"

"Well, Kyoya'd only want to know if you had the money to be a customer...but generally Tamaki doesn't care if people visit for free the first time." Haruhi pondered it between bites of her own meal thoughtfully. "If you aren't really looking to sit with any of the Host Club members and just look around I doubt they'd mind at all."

_"Look at that. I wonder if Haruhi is dating the new girl." _

_ "They're both commoners, maybe that's why. You never had a chance then."_

_ "Shut up!"_

The whispers reached her and she blinked a little in surprise, she thought about the 'guy' sitting across from her and kept eating. "_Naw. Haruhi is nice but I wouldn't really want to go out with him. He's more of a friend like Eri or Yuka, heh, my friend that's a guy is my new best girl friend."_

Haruhi didn't seem to have noticed and the rest of the lunch hour went without much discussion, Kagome was working on finishing up her History homework in the extra time she had after she'd finished eating and Haruhi had her own work to do.

The afternoon wasn't too horrible. Biology was still one of her worst subjects, but she was starting to understand more of the lecture as it actually happened in class. Though she'd definitely need a lot of help on the paper she needed done by the next week there. Thankfully most of the actual experimenting went on in the room. She was dreading the part of having to cut up anything.

Which left her Biology, Chemistry, Part of English, and Math for her work for the weekend. By the end of her day she was highly doubting she'd have the time to go to anything after school, except to ask Kyoya when and where he wanted to meet over the weekend to continue to study. She headed toward the third music room and slipped her head in curiously, though she got a few jealous stares from girls waiting to get into the club for service she mostly ignored the way they acted and slipped inside. Given her 'special treatment' of being able to search any given day for her tutor.

They were dressed in slightly more regal, Japanese attire again today, though this time it held more of a combative kung-fu sort of theme. She still didn't really agree with the whole gigolo idea of the club but had started to overlook the strange behavior as she usually needed to come by and grab Kyoya.

He was constantly busy, she wondered sometimes if he ever slept at all. If that laptop of his was attached to his arm as it never seemed to leave his side, at least it seemed to be working after the tumble her first day. He was sitting at a low counter typing at the machine, his glasses glinting back at it's luminescent surface.

She had gotten around during the week to introducing herself to the group. Most of them seemed nice; other than the twins who still grossed her out. She was pretty hesitant and avoided the over happy one that had started to at least not bother her with more than a wave, she figured he had picked up on the way he made her uncomfortable. Now though he wasn't slouched too far from Kyoya and seemed to be having one of his fits.

"Miss Higurashi." Kyoya looked away from the distraught head of the Host Club, he'd have to come to terms with his latest realization about Haruhi. "I mentioned yesterday that we would be working later this weekend instead of tonight."

"Yeah I know." Kagome answered, glancing at the detected and rather broken seeming leader before back to Kyoya. From the way the rest reacted, ignoring him seemed the thing to do. "I wanted to know when and where we were going to work."

"At the school." He answered, and she could hear the frown in his voice even though it never reached his face. "Can you not make it to the school?"

"The normal train I take during the week doesn't run this stop when school isn't in." Kagome replied. "I thought it'd be easier to just find a library or a common area. Mom said we could study at the house as Souta's busy and no one should bother us."

"That should be fine." Kyoya replied, glancing back to his screen, typing a few more letters. "What do you think you'll need help with?"

"I finished History, most of English, my Sciences and Math mostly." She replied. "I'm gonna head home and complete what I can. What time?"

"Tomorrow, ten A.M. unless that time doesn't suit you." He seemed pretty absorbed with his work.

Kagome just nodded, not wanting to bother him more. She glanced over at a conversation the rest of the host club was having and shook her head. They were all staring at Haruhi aghast. _"Probably told them they buy things J.C. Penny or Wal-mart..."_

She headed away just in time to miss the conversation about hiding Haruhi away during Physical Examinations coming up that Monday.

_**The following morning...**_

Kagome blinked slowly as her brain put together what he mother had just said to her. "Kagome, you need to get up dear, your friend is here."

_"My friend?"_ Kagome thought idly, the hamster wheel in her brain was still trying to get started given the grogginess of just getting up. _"What friend? I don't...oh god Kyoya...crap...I didn't set my alarm."_

She pushed herself up instantly as she realized, glancing to the clock beaming a unwanted ten o' two back at her in it's gentle, mocking light. She threw clothes on and painfully tugged her hairbrush through her hair in the bathroom while brushing her teeth with her other hand.

She'd been up to the wee hours of morning trying to finish everything she could of her homework in hopes she might go see a movie and have some semblance of a normal life one day this weekend before she'd start up the heavy workload again next week. It didn't help that she hadn't even slept very well, nightmares of the feudal era and losing her friends there still haunted her frequently and last night had been particularly vivid.

She had managed to finish just about everything but the biology, and she thought she had most of it right at least...she really hoped she did as he was likely to be pissed at her for wasting a few precious moments of his time.

Glancing over herself in the mirror to make certain she was at least acceptable she tore back to her room to pick up her books and notes, shoving them quickly into her backpack. Ten o' nine, it wasn't horrible time, she slipped out of her room and down the steps. Surprised to hear Kyoya's pleasant tone of voice he took with the women at the Host Club on the other side of the kitchen door.

"I believe with some more work she'll do very well." It was Kyoya alright, she'd heard him so much the last week she couldn't mistake him anywhere. "It's unfortunate she missed so much last year. If she hadn't I figure she wouldn't have need of a tutor at all."

She overheard, making her pause without opening the door, they were talking about her.

"That's such a relief to hear." Her mother talking now. "I just worry about her, you don't think it's too hard on her? She hasn't mentioned having many friends at the school, she talks about you mostly."

"Mom!" Kagome protested as she moved into the room, next Mom would be telling him the way she'd complained about his slave-driving methods and she'd lose her tutor. "Could you not interrogate people from school, I'm fine."

Kyoya was at the table with her mother, sipping at some tea, wearing black pants and a white shirt instead of the school uniform. He had his bag next to him and raised a brow a bit, curiously, at the way Kagome had broken into the room.

"Okay dear, okay." She raised her hands, dropping the subject. "Would you like some eggs dear? Kyoya?"

"No thank you Ms. Higurashi, I ate before I came." Kyoya answered, sipping at the tea again.

"Please..." Kagome said, sitting at her table and setting the bag down. "I'm so sorry Kyoya, I was up late working on things and forgot to set my alarm."

"Mind if I read over what you have done while you eat?" Kyoya was polite, but all business. To a point, Kagome had to appreciate it, it helped keep her on track. She dug out her notes, getting them in order before handing them over to him.

"Thanks for the tea and breakfast Mom." She said, feeling a bit bad for having surprise attacked her on her entry to the kitchen. While she waited for the eggs she fixed her tea, adding honey and sugar before stirring it and taking a sip.

"No problem dear, I'll be heading to the store soon if there's anything you need." Her mother answered, she was certainly much back to normal which was a good thing, it was one of the only things in her life keeping her stable. She'd been used to cramming for tests when she was fighting in the feudal era and couldn't be at home but nothing compared to this last week.

She dug into her eggs appreciatively, getting herself an orange so she wouldn't face any comments from her tutor/slave driver. He had finished looking through most of her papers by the time she finished her breakfast, washed her dishes, and was sipping at her tea anxiously.

She figured any moment now she'd face a half hour of him explaining in detail everything she'd done wrong. It was almost worse that he did it so politely like when they had worked together through the week, he did everything so politely she couldn't really say much too him, even if she figured most of it wasn't genuine...

"Your Chemistry and Math have surprisingly few errors. You only finished half the Biology but we can go over it." He stated, handing it back over. "English and History are up to standards, how late were you up exactly?"

"Four or five." She answered, trying to ignore the 'surprisingly' comment, though it made her bristle a bit beneath the surface. So much for him always being polite. "I'm just hoping I can catch up so it's not quite so many hours during the week."

"I think I don't need to worry about History with you." He commented, pouring some more of the tea for himself, adding honey and sugar and stirring. It was more than true, the girl's grasp of that subject rivaled his own, though it was never something he took incredibly seriously, little money to be had in it. "English I'd like to still watch for a while but you seem to grasp everything happening thus far. Chemistry and Math we'll need to discuss some things, you are getting some of the equations wrong. And we still have a lot of work before us with Biology."

She nodded a little, sighing just a bit, she wasn't going to end up getting any time to herself at all probably. Though it wasn't completely a bad thing, aside from nightmares she didn't have much time to dwell on her lost friends. Given that she wasn't even getting much sleep these days, it was doing a marvelous job of distracting her from that heartache.

"Are you all right?" Kyoya asked, watching her get a bit distant, she did it from time to time when he worked with her and generally he waited until she got back on track. She seemed like she was about to cry. "If you need more time to rest I can return at a later time."

"No, no I'm fine...just had some bad dreams last night." She stated with a shake of her head. "I need to get this done so I don't keep stealing all of your time either...and all your politeness aside, I'm sure you'd appreciate it. You seem tired yourself."

Kyoya sipped at his tea, in fact he was exhausted, catching up with his own work after balancing the books for the club last night had left him with only a few hours of rest himself before he drove over here. He was pushing himself he knew, but no one else had noticed yet, not even Tamaki. He attributed it to spending most of his time that week with her.

"I think we would both appreciate some more time to relax in the evenings." He agreed finally with a nod. "Now lets tackle Math and Chemistry before moving to Biology."

She nodded, it was easy enough to fall into student mode, she'd done it so often lately. He was a good teacher; despite his rigid, sometime tyrannical, methods. She had learned and actually seemed to be retaining an incredible amount over the past week and today he seemed a bit shorter than usual but she attributed that to him having gotten very little rest as well. They worked for a couple hours before Kagome's Mom stepped in just long enough to say she was leaving for the store.

They'd finished Chemistry and Math without too much difficulty, Kagome had figured out the basics of most of the concepts the night before, but Biology was still eluding her. She had to memorize so much in so little time. They wanted her to know specific names for all the bones in the body, all the muscles, most of the rest of the pieces she'd more or less figured out, but this was just the beginning. She'd have to put the information to use later in the year dissecting dead animals. If she didn't start there how would she ever be able to be a real doctor though?

"No. That's the humerus, that's the ulna and the radius. The upper vertebrae are cervical, the lower ones attached to ribs are thoracic and the lower ones without ribs are the lumbar." He corrected the sheet he'd had her fill out, his voice showing more frustration than usual as he repeated it for the fourth time during the study session. "How can you get the bones in the hand right but keep missing these? These are simple...I knew these as a kid."

"I dunno..." Kagome frowned at his attitude, maybe she did prefer the fake kindness after all. "I just get them confused...it's a lot to take in all at once."

"We've been going over them since Thursday." He sighed, putting the paper down and resisting the urge to rub his temples though he was steadily getting a worse and worse headache. "At least most of the upper body is right otherwise. You spelled most of them wrong on the lower portion. The professors will only accept partial credit for that. We should study at the school, at least I'd have had the fake skeleton as reference."

"You don't gotta be all snippy with me...I'm trying." Kagome replied, starting to lose her own temper at the attitude. "I've worked my butt off this week, you even told me I've improved a lot, I can't make myself do more than I am. I'm honestly trying."

"This is simple stuff...if you can't remember this level I don't know how you expect to become a doctor." Kyoya regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, it was very rude of him. He wasn't paying as close attention to himself because of his lack of rest and the headache. It wouldn't do a bit of good to berate her, if she gave up at this then his shot at becoming his father's successor would be lost to him.

Kagome meanwhile hadn't argued with him more about it, she was thinking to herself instead...if he was right could she be chasing something she wouldn't be any good at? What good was a doctor that didn't know what bone was what?

"I'm sorry Kagome." Him putting a hand over hers at the table made her look up at him, he didn't initiate contact almost ever. "I am not feeling well and I'm allowing it to make me very ungracious. You have come a long way in the time we've been working together, it's hard to remember how much you missed last year because of being sick. It's not your fault, we'll work it out, it is a difficult process but you are very smart, I'm sure you can manage this."

Kagome nodded to him. Surprised he was looking her in the eye over his glasses, she'd seen his eyes without the reflective surface of his laptop over the course of the week, but the striking gray coloring was more obvious without the layer of glass masking it.

"I think I could use a break." Kagome answered honestly, surprised at the unexpected compliment from her tutor. Pulling her own hands back to her lap when he took his away. "I'm sorry, I know you are busy and came all the way out here."

"It's fine." He shook his head negatively at her apology. "Haruhi mentioned that you were seeming a bit stressed and I should have let you take some of the weekend for yourself and met with you on Sunday."

"I have been wanting to get out away from books for a while. Go to the mall or a movie." Kagome replied, hoping she'd get to escape for a while to relax a bit before starting tomorrow instead. The last few hours had been more difficult than she expected, without a good nights rest she was not in top mental form to keep up with the rigorous rate at which Kyoya taught.

"You two are going to a movie?" Kagome's Mom entering carrying bags from the market. "That would be nice, could you help me carry in the groceries first Kagome."

Kagome blinked a little, blushing at the surprised glance Kyoya gave her...she realized why most teenagers never wanted their parents around...

**End Chapter**

Just curious if that ever happened to anyone else? My mom walked in on a conversation I was having once about going to see a movie and immediately thought I was going on a date with the person I was talking too...awkward to say the least.

_-Nera_

P.S. To everyone that gave me reviews: I'm still shocked at how much attention my little fiction has garnered! I never thought it would be popular at all. Thank you so much!


	4. Atypical Rescue

_I have come to believe that there are infinite passageways out of the shadows, infinite vehicles to transport us into the light._

**Chapter Four:** _**Atypical Rescue**_

"Sorry…" Kagome mouthed at Kyoya as her mom gestured Kagome to follow. God, what sort of idea was she going to give him now? Kyoya had enough women ready to chase after him without him thinking she'd jumped on the fan bandwagon. She was giving the most apologetic look she could muster as she followed her mom. At first she thought to correct her mom but before she could bring it up Kyoya reached past her to pick up a couple of the bags of groceries himself. He offered a pleasant smile to her mother when she offered thanks and then glanced back to Kagome as he was heading back inside.

The slight glint in his eyes and the cant of his brows gave her a look that swore he would pay her back for this. It wasn't as if she hadn't been willing to correct her mom, but the woman seemed so happy with the wrong idea that Kagome couldn't bring herself to do it before Kyoya had played along. Kagome was heading out of her house with the premise she was going to see a movie with her tutor before she could completely catch up with how it happened.

"I'm –so- sorry." Kagome hissed as they headed away from the house. "I didn't think that mom would get that idea…I…"

"Don't worry about it." Kyoya answered calmly, his usual composed self as he shrugged off the apology. "It seemed to make her happy and you can pay me back by acing your exam on Tuesday."

"Uh well…thanks cause it did seem to make Mom happy but I can just take the train and go to the mall." Kagome said with a shake of her head, amused at how much he was looking for a reason to push her. He must have been getting well paid by the school.

"I've been meaning to find the time to get out to experience a commoner theater for myself; this is as good an excuse as any." Kyoya replied. "Generally I wouldn't attend one connected to a mall in this sort of an area but I figure it will be educational."

Kagome looked at him quietly, shaking her head when she realized it wasn't a joke, there was certainly something unique about the people at the school she attended now. It was sort of funny.

"Well, I'll do my best to ace the exam on Tuesday without your hosting involvement. No offense, but I'm not interested and I think we see enough of each other already. Don't you have an event for the host club tonight anyway?" Kagome asked, walking with him down the stairs as she kept up conversation.

"I suppose that is true enough." Kyoya nodded lightly, he wouldn't force his presence on her if she didn't want it. "Though, I think it would be best if I at least gave you a ride. Then I can pick you up and bring you home."

"I think that still gives the wrong idea." Kagome said with a sigh.

"Isn't that the point of us leaving together?" Kyoya asked with a knowing smirk on his face, holding the passenger door for Kagome. "It doesn't bother me, it isn't as though your mother frequents any area with the rest of the parents from the Academy and if she is feeling better it will rub off on you. You'll do better at your classes if you have less to be concerned about at home."

"Aren't you taking this good tutor thing a little far?" Kagome eyed him distrustfully before sighing and getting into the car. Buckling her seat belt as he walked around to get into the driver's side, frowning as she looked up behind them up at the shrine, she could barely make out the top of the tree there. "What are you getting out of teaching me exactly? I know they said you are getting a favor from the school but this seems like a lot of effort, are they paying you as well?"

"Yes. The higher your grades the more I'm paid." Kyoya answered, it wasn't the complete truth, but it gave reason enough for his actions and efforts.

"I see." Kagome nodded. It was logical she supposed, and fit with all the rumors she'd heard about him. He was a nice guy on the surface but beneath that he was just out for the best networking and profits. A corporation given human form that was Kyoya Ootori at his truest if all the rumors were to be believed. It seemed sad considering how charming he came off.

"Thanks…I know you're getting paid, but you didn't have to help with my mom and I still appreciate what you're doing to help me even if it's for the money." Kagome said with a small smile. Looking out her window to watch the city as the car headed onto the highway that would lead to the nearby mall.

"Well, I'll see how you do before I accept any such sentiment." Kyoya answered, he still wasn't certain how Kagome would manage her classes or if he'd have to put in more time after the opening round of tests next week.

Which reminded him he had to push his information group more, he'd barely gotten any information beyond the original files. Only that some mysterious benefactor had been the one to fund her tuition at the Academy, Kyoya assumed it was this same person that had interested his father.

Kagome got quiet during the rest of the drive, and she had that same expression as though she wanted to cry that he'd seen on their first day working together. It wasn't as clear, she covered it well, but the girl obviously had some deep issues he hadn't even touched yet. He dug out his cell, driving and talking at the same time.

"Tamaki? I'm not going to able to make it today, I have other business I have to take care of." Kyoya commented, smirking slightly at the surprised expression Kagome sent him. "You'll be able to handle it without me, you have before. I'll see you on Monday."

He slipped the phone away as he took the turn into the mall's parking lot.

"Why did you cancel your meeting?" Kagome asked, eyeing the way he was circling to park instead of drop her off. Didn't she just say she didn't want to hang out with him all the time? Regardless of her question she was a little pleased, even if she knew it was to try to encourage better grades out of her.

"I already explained that I wanted to see a commoner's theater." Kyoya replied. "I just decided it seemed more enjoyable than an evening of Tamaki and the Twins. We don't take breaks from each other much."

Kagome could have pointed out that she and he had seen more of each other than he had of the host club since she'd started as his pupil but she decided against it. Instead she just walked inside with him, looking over the movies playing and not really seeing anything that jumped out at her.

"Not much really playing right now that's worth the money." Kagome commented thoughtfully. "And no, I don't want to be treated by you…I already feel like I'm in your debt even if you are being paid by others, I'm still the one benefiting. The Dairy Cream is new, you want an ice cream?"

"So…I can't offer to treat you to a movie in the same statement that you offer to buy me ice cream?" Kyoya asked, amused and not about to protest. He would much rather she pays than he did. He had wanted to see a movie but he would trust her assessment of the options, not complaining about the change in plan. "I suppose it sounds fine, shouldn't you eat a normal lunch first, there's a sushi place there."

"Hmm…well I just had breakfast a little while ago. I figured I could get an ice cream and then just wait until dinner…don't give me that disapproving expression, aren't I suppose to enjoy myself sometimes so I don't burn out?" Kagome said, getting in line at the DQ.

"Using my words against me already?" Kyoya asked. He was a little amused at the idea, it didn't come up often for him, most people seemed afraid to push him and most others were never clever enough to get the chance. "I'll take a small M&M Blizzard with mint, and thank you for the gesture Kagome."

"Yeah. No problem, I don't really use my allowance for much." Kagome answered, looking over the menu and glad she didn't have anymore people behind her to rush her. "Ah, I want a medium cone dipped in chocolate."

She handed over the yen and got some change, putting it in her purse and then leaning against the counter. "So, what do you usually do with your free time anyway? I can't imagine you get much of it."

General conversation, it would keep things from being really awkward in Kagome's opinion. She didn't wanna see a movie and she highly doubted he'd want to follow her around shopping so talking and walking around for a while seemed the best way to go. It was still a nice break from nothing but studying, it felt strange not to have a book in front of her and a pencil in her hand.

"I enjoy painting, though as you say, I don't have much time for it." Kyoya replied, picking up his blizzard and stirring the ice cream around a moment before pulling out the spoon to take a bite. It was unlike him to relax like this or discuss his painting at all, he'd just said it before thinking about it.

"Yeah? I didn't picture you as an artistic sort." Kagome smiled as she took a bite from the top of her own cone. Seeming to enjoy it as she started walking, Kyoya falling into step, then she added. "I think that's great, I figure if someone can be an artist then they have beauty they can add to the world. That's a good thing."

"Mmm." Kyoya commented, he was pondering just how differently other people viewed it, she was surprised but she took him at his word. Other people he'd told had demanded him paint something to prove he was any good, why he usually didn't say anything, but she just accepted him at his word.

"Well, I just figured you spent all your days doing nothing but reading…not that there would be a problem with that, but it's good that you have something else. Sorry, you don't seem to want to talk about it, is your club planning to do something specific for the upcoming autumn break? I know a lot of people plan do things with their extra few days off." Kagome said, color coming to her face as she sighed; taking another bite of her ice cream as she chided herself. _"I sound stupid. This is a horrible idea; I should have just sent him on his way. He must think I'm just another dumb commoner. I wonder what he'd think if he knew what I was, but I guess if I told him I was a priestess with mystical powers he might try to get me mental help. I can't tell anyone, they'd probably want to put me in a lab somewhere."_

Kyoya noted that she still looked exceptionally sad while seeming like she wanted to say something, but he wasn't going to push her, the girl was more fragile than she let on if he was any judge. If he didn't treat interactions delicately she might not keep up with things, she seemed like she was ready to break sometimes and others like a rock wall. Instead he decided to keep up with the conversation.

"We're taking a group of our usual customers out to a beach resort in Okinawa, it's been planned since the year started and such trips are usually large money makers for us. It should help pay for several events through the year following it." Kyoya commented thoughtfully, explaining a little about the economics of it, he might as well teach her with day to day conversation. "Usually the teachers don't give much homework but there are things I'll have for you to study ahead and others I think you still need to catch up on."

"Should have figured this would be more lessons," Kagome winked when he offered a surprised expression. "No no, it's okay, it's good, I do suck at economics so the life example is actually nice. I think its good you get to get away for a while, even if everything is all business it has to be nice when it's with your friends."

"I'm sure everyone will have a good time. Are you really completely disinterested in the host club? I know it's not for everyone but you haven't really given us much of a fair chance. If you were interested we could write off your first visit for free." Kyoya commented, curious as to the thoughts of the commoner. They'd managed to get Haruhi to help based on her mistake and it had taken time for her to warm up to them, she was still pretty nervous around them and he wasn't sure how she would take being kidnapped tomorrow for the test run of his family's amusement park he had planned. Another reason he hadn't planned to work with Kagome tomorrow and was glad he'd gotten it out of the way this morning.

"I dunno, I guess it just still comes off as strange." Kagome answered thoughtfully. "And most of you guy's and your 'draws' don't actually interest me too much. I'd rather get to know someone before I'd think about really being attracted to them. I think a lot of it's a little creepy, Honey is a bit young looking, and the twins…well, you know how I feel about that."

Kyoya smirked a bit, he'd heard as much as anyone else about how much Kagome just didn't react well to the twincest act. To him he knew it was an act, but he wondered how much she thought it was an act or was real. Enough of the fans that requested them certainly seemed to believe it.

"Which leaves Tamaki and Mori." Kyoya commented, he didn't really consider himself a common option, or one that Kagome would be interested in.

"Tamaki is too loud, Mori seems all right but in contrast he's pretty quiet. I dunno. I think if I had to pick a host to go out with it would be you. You seem the most down to earth of any of them…not that you don't still have your moments of richdom." Kagome commented.

"Richdom?" Kyoya perked a brow at her new word.

"Yeah, it's what Haruhi and I call it when you guys don't really seem to know about the real world or react like spoiled rich kids." Kagome replied. "I'm actually surprised all your guys' lines work on any girls at all. Especially Tamaki."

Then wide brown eyes were staring in shock at Kyoya after he tipped her elbow up a little when she went to take a bite, she got ice cream on her nose and gaped at him, more shocked at his action than the cold. Thankfully she pulled back quick enough to only get it on the tip of her nose and not all over her face, blushing and trying to sound angry but only managing a little irritation mingled with her shock.

"What was that for?" She dug in her purse looking for a handkerchief, difficult when she was still trying to balance her nearly finished cone in one hand.

"Oh, I thought I was playing into character, being a spoiled rich kid." Kyoya commented, reaching up to wipe her nose clear with a handkerchief of his own before leaning in close to inspect her face. "I think that about does it, though you have a bit left on your lower lip if you'd like me to get that."

Kagome pushed him away lightly, certain she was very red all of a sudden as she shook her head, licking her lips to fix whatever was wrong. "Uh, no, no I'm fine."

"You sure are blushing a lot for someone that doesn't fall for lines Kagome." Kyoya remarked with a smug smirk as she glanced back over. "Don't feel bad, all girls like having extra attention, it's natural. It's not that difficult."

"There's a difference between being embarrassed for you, and falling for your lines." Kagome retorted smartly, if she was honest it had worked a little. Kyoya was pretty handsome, it was the first time she'd thought about someone kissing her since…and she had fallen for it a moment. Perhaps she was as bad as any other girl, but she wasn't going to admit it openly.

Kyoya grinned a bit as opposed to being insulted, that quick wit of hers was what made spending time with her enjoyable. He'd expected her to be another of the various fans but just poorer and in a different position to abuse that to try to get his time. While she had been monopolizing his time it wasn't for girlish hopes for romance, she'd taken her studies with him very seriously, as she pointed out that morning. Even now, she'd been fine with being on her own as opposed to going anywhere with him.

When she said if she had to pick a host it'd be him, it was a compliment, and after that admittance he couldn't help but tease her a little by feeding her a small act of his own. For the first time he really noticed she was pretty, she wasn't some super model, but her attractive nature was more than her body. There was an ambience of energy around her that drew people in, and he had to admit he was having a good time on this little outing.

"Sorry." Kagome's voice drew him from the moment of contemplation and he wasn't sure what was wrong until she further explained her apology. "I guess that was a little harsh. I suppose if I thought you were actually serious I might not mind falling for some of your lines. Thankfully we both know better."

"No offence taken, it's refreshing being with someone that doesn't want me to put on a constant charming air or thinks it's my job in life to sweep them off their feet and make them swoon." Kyoya said with a small dismissive wave.

Kagome laughed. "I don't think you could make me swoon even if I fell for your lines, what is swooning exactly anyway? I'm pretty sure I've never done it, I guess I'm not dainty enough to do that sort of thing."

"You seem to be out to challenge me today." Kyoya commented, not sure why he was suddenly feeling so direct. Though he enjoyed when he brought color to her face, it was different when he saw her blush and look away from the twins or Tamaki. Unlike them there were subtle hints in her face that she actually enjoyed when he teased her.

"That's not what I meant." Kagome managed with another shake of her head. "I didn't get enough sleep to match wits with you today, not that I ever do a good job of that. You should take a little mercy on me; it's supposed to be my day off."

"If I offered mercy how could I keep my nickname? Besides, it's a bad strategy to go for sympathy on lack of sleep when I didn't get much rest either." Kyoya retorted, he did enjoy winning, even if there wasn't a tangible prize when it came to such conversations.

"You're impossible." Kagome rolled her eyes at him, giving up on the conversation, which of course he quietly look as a success. "Though, we've been walking for a while, I suppose we should probably head back."

She took his empty cup and spoon, throwing it away with the paper wrapping from her cone, heading back toward the door they came in originally. "Should I expect you tomorrow?"

"No, I have other things I need to do, I left some notes as to things you should study and work on but don't burn yourself out. If you need to take some time to yourself you should." Kyoya answered seriously, holding the door for her and heading outside with her. There was a nice breeze though it was late in the afternoon and a chill was setting into the air. When he noticed Kagome shiver a bit he took off his jacket and put it around her.

It was worth the trouble to see the pink return to her face, Kagome though was quiet as she followed him back toward the car, there was a light spiced scent to the jacket, it was the same aroma she got when he leaned close over her desk to help with things. She was becoming familiar with his cologne; it was nice, with a bright citrus fresh sort of feel with a little bit of a metallic note lightly blended in a sort of creamy/soapy way. It wasn't overpowering and yet clearly memorable, probably worth more than what she would make in a few months.

Kagome noticed her shoe wasn't tied and bent down to fix it, Kyoya pausing to wait for her when he noticed she'd bent down. Though when she looked up she was surprised to realize that he was paying attention to his phone and clearly had no idea of the car tearing his way at a speed too fast for the parking area.

Kagome jumped forward before she had time to think about what she was doing. His shocked expression was the last thing she saw before the agonizing impact to her side and head. Barely aware of the sound of screeching breaks as she flew through the air, before a second slam into the ground her skin scrapping free along parts of her legs as her body rolled several times before slowing enough to stop, her eyes pressed closed as she tried to fight away the dizziness and pain.

**End Chapter**

Poor Kagome, too nice for her own good she is. I wonder if folks are still reading this, I enjoy this pair, even if they take a lot of building! I was glad to get the chance to write a new chapter.

_-Nera_

P.S Thanks again to all the lovely reviews, I think I'd of given up if I hadn't gotten so much love for this.


	5. Foreboding Injuries

_So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing._

**Chapter Five:** _**Foreboding Injuries**_

_Life is fragile, and in a moment it can be wiped away and like a thread breaking in a spider web all the other points it's connected to weaken and droop. The delicate balance that keeps people steady in their own lives wobbles when one of the people they're connected to ceases to be, though it doesn't destroy the whole web, a spider can always go back out and start to build again…_

Kyoya tossed down the magazine into the trash can in disgust; it wasn't at all what he needed to be reading right now. The young boy was still without his jacket as he lingered in the waiting room of the hospital, he couldn't believe they would keep that drivel here. It certainly wasn't making him keep his mind off of what had happened or alleviating his apprehensions as to how bad her injuries could be. Thinking back he couldn't help but be angry with himself. How couldn't he have noticed that idiot speeding through the parking lot?

_He got a slight scrape on his hand and ripped his pants when Kagome shoved him, then he heard the sickened crash followed by the squeal of the rubber on the concrete as the offending driver stopped his car. He pushed himself up just in time to see Kagome just hitting the ground again several feet from the car and rolling like a rag doll over the ground. Her blood was all over the ground and the worst part was that she was lucky she hadn't been drug under the low riding car. Kyoya was dialing emergency services even as he ran toward her, able to act level-headed even though he was mollified at what he'd just witnessed._

_ "Kagome! Kagome can you hear me?" He didn't want to touch her and possibly make anything worse. "Hello, we're outside the Amatsume mall and my friend was just hit by a driver in the parking lot, she's not responding to me and she's bleeding heavily. We need an ambulance."_

_ Perhaps it was partially shock that kept him able to explain things and answer questions, he checked her pulse for the man on the other end of the line and affirmed she still had one and that she was breathing but she still wasn't answering him. It wasn't until he heard the ambulance in the distance that she started to open her eyes. He was still on the phone with emergency services but wasn't paying attention._

_ "Kyoya?" She asked, trying to focus her eyes, but there were so many lights dancing around that she immediately closed them again. She started to push herself up but immediately winced._

_ "Don't move Kagome, you need to stay still, the ambulance is almost here." Kyoya immediately said, taking her hand when she started patting around the ground. "You were hit by a car."_

_ "It feels like a bus…" Kagome mumbled, closing her eyes again, her head was still spinning though she'd been able to see clearly it was just easier to close her eyes. "Are you all right? Did I get you out of the way."_

_"You idiot…" Kyoya sighed, wanting to be angry at her but knowing it wouldn't help now. "…you should have let them hit me. Why did you do that?"_

_"I couldn't just stand by and let you get hit...what sort of person you think I…" Kagome half answered before unconsciousness took her again as the E.M.T.'s were running up to them. The Ambulance parked just next to where she was on the ground._

Kyoya was waiting in a private room the hospital had provided as a member of the family that owned the hospital. He glanced up as a doctor opened the door, fearing the worse information as he'd asked for an update as soon as it was available.

"Mister Ootori, your friend is in stable condition at the moment but she'll require some screws and a rod added to her left femur, it is broken completely through and pieces appear to have fractured off completely. Otherwise she suffered a concussion and dozens of other abrasions and bruises across her body. We're prepping her for surgery now; her mother is in the offices signing the needed paperwork." The doctor explained. "Despite internal bruising on her lungs and some other organs there are no open bleeds. When her mother is done I instructed a nurse to bring her here, I figured you wouldn't mind."

"No that's fine, thank you." He didn't have to think to voice the polite reflexive reply. "Are her nerves all right?"

"As far as we can tell she is not paralyzed, her feet and hands reacted normally to tests for someone suffering so much damage to the body. She can feel as well as control her fingers and toes, though movement is expectedly painful anywhere in her left leg." The doctor replied. "She'll be under for a while for the surgery and then we'll wake her later tonight. We could keep you posted if you wanted to go home, I know you are a busy young man."

"No I'll stay here." Kyoya didn't hesitate; he had no intention of just leaving her after she took the hit for him. As it was he could have suffered even worse wounds or been killed if she hadn't leaped in the way for him.

"Right…if there are any changes I'll make sure you are made aware." The doctor nodded to him and vanished out the door again. Kyoya sighed. His failure to look after the girl that could be his ticket to being taken in as his family's heir was exceptionally frustrating. Worse that she'd been put in such a position rescuing him; father was bound to be angry.

"Kyoya." The soft voice of Kagome's mother drew his eyes from where he'd closed them to try to push away the forming migraine. He earned a smile for standing up for her. "Don't worry Miss Higurashi, the doctors say she'll be fine with some time to heal…I'm sorry, it's my fault. If I had been paying attention…"

"It's not your fault." The mother smiled at him wisely, shaking her head. "You couldn't control a man getting drunk and getting behind the wheel. Kagome's always been headstrong and when she sees the chance to do the right thing she does it. I'm worried for her and I wish she didn't have to be in pain, but I'm not sorry she's a good person. I…hate to ask you this, I know you must be busy, but I can't get out of work without losing my job and I have lots of shifts through Tuesday. Can you look after her?"

"Of course." Kyoya said immediately. "There's nothing I can't do from the hospital network that I need with homework. I'd like to request you allowing me to take care of her in my family's home while she's recovering."

He owed Kagome a lot for her vexing rescue, and if he could start to return that by looking over her for her mother he didn't mind at all. As it was if he could get her to stay at his home then his father might forgive this mistake. "Let the hospital know and don't worry about the billing, if you get anything let me know. I'll make sure it is all covered."

"I already gave them my insurance information, but thank you, you're quite the gentleman. If Kagome agrees I wouldn't mind you looking after her for a while. Sorry to impose and then run out on you like this. Thanks for being a friend to her." The older woman offered an apologetic look before vanishing. Kyoya only felt worse, apparently her family wasn't as well off as he'd like to think if the mother was still concerned about working at a time like this. He still had a while before they'd come and get him with her still in surgery though, so he tugged out his computer, getting into the network at the hospital and checking his email.

One of his waiting messages involved the same girl under the knife. Though most of it seemed generally things he'd seen before until he read a little further in. Her tuition had been paid by the private accounts of the Inutenko name. It was an ancient name related to money just as old, they didn't come out often but rumor had it that they were related to one of the lines of the old emperor's of china. Either way they were a leading name in any sort of antique trade, they had their hands in a large variety of companies and owned a leading investment group that had done well since the turn of the last century. If they touched something or approved it even vaguely people leapt to do the same. Though the family that ran the successful investments and businesses was rather reclusive much of the time, Kyoya had heard a rumor that they were subject to some rare disease and had trouble being out often, preferring to work from a quiet background. Nonetheless, it instantly explained his father's interest in Kagome; he must have known it was the elusive and exclusive family backing her. The Inutenko family was rumored to be in the top hundred richest families in the world and easily the richest within Japan itself.

Why did such a well off family care about her? He doubted she knew he'd heard her express concern that her mother would never be able to pay this off prior to this new message. So likely Kagome wasn't aware, but he'd have to dig deeper, though carefully. Suddenly he had even more reason to be concerned about his actions today, the Inutenko were also notorious for destroying the business ventures of the people that crossed them, the other nasty rumor about them was that they were related to the yakuza.

While, his own family had dark secrets, it didn't compare to some of what surrounded the mysterious benefactors behind his student. Just who was Kagome Higurashi? He pushed himself past that shocking fact to continue reading the information that had been in the email.

One glaring issue that stood out was something that there was a lack of. Medical records, despite the fact that all the rumors, and all her old friends and acquaintances as well as the school she went to before this reporting her as sickly there were no medical records beyond a the yearly check-ups anyone would be expected to have. There was no paper trail to cover the stories about being sick for so long? So why lie to the point of nearly failing? Her mother and family did the same; did they have some clandestine reason for it? There were all manner of possibilities…if the Inutenko family was backing her then was she distantly related or a bastard child like Tamaki?

They didn't appear to be helping Kagome's mom with other things, just covering her tuition at the academy and getting him as a personal tutor for her. Was Kagome a better liar than he thought? More than likely she wasn't aware of whatever the reason was, she might not even know who the family is. Though why she lied for a year about her health and failed her classes was the most surprising thing. She really seemed to want to do well now, and generally seemed sad and guilty about failing the year before, so what had she been doing?

"Kyoya!" Tamaki's voice pulled him from his concerns, his eyebrow twitching slightly as the blonde jumped across the room and hugged him, rubbing his head against Kyoya's chest. "I was so worried when I saw the news! Is Kagome okay?"

_"The news?"_ Kyoya's face darkened and he pushed Tamaki away as he reached for the television in the room to turn it on and switch to the news. It was on a commercial so he turned back to the still tear filled eyes of the host club president. "What did you see Tamaki?"

"The twins sent me a text to watch channel two and there was a story about a commoner getting hit by a car for one of the Ootori children. I could tell by the video that it was you and Kagome even though it was quiet." Tamaki explained, sitting down and staring at his friend. "Are you all right?"

"Thanks to Kagome," Kyoya replied with a sigh, so much for keeping the story quiet, the news had already gotten footage from the mall apparently. "She's going into surgery soon but the doctors think she'll be fine."

"You want me to stay too?" Tamaki saw through right away that Kyoya was worried and while it annoyed him how easily Tamaki could read him he was a little appreciative.

"No, I'll be fine." Kyoya answered with a shake of his head. "The most injured thing is my pride, but it's strong enough that it will recover."

"All right, I'll talk to the others and make sure they know that tomorrow's trip is canceled and ask Haruhi and the twins to get all of her homework sent over first thing on Monday. I'll do the same thing for your work." Tamaki was normally over emotional and a little ridiculous but he knew when to tone it down too. Now was one of those rare times where he was doing so. "If you need to talk you can call me."

"Thanks Tamaki, like I said, I'll be fine." Kyoya repeated with a nod. "Thanks for the help. I'd like to just be alone for a while though."

"Mister Ootori." A nurse popped her head into the room. "We have a room ready that we'll be bringing Miss Higurashi to when her surgery is over and she's been woken up. Would you rather wait there?"

"Yes." Kyoya offered Tamaki a short nod and followed the woman off, leaving Tamaki smiling a little behind him.

"Pity it took something like this to make him realize he cared about someone." Tamaki said with a sigh as he pulled out his phone to start making calls. Glad at least that Kyoya was putting someone else ahead of him for one of very few times.

Kyoya turned on the television in the room, frowning when he caught the news story just in time to see Kagome dive forward to shove him out of the way and go flying off the screen of the security video when the car hit her. He winced at watching it, it looked awful, and he was surprised she wasn't worse with how quickly the car had been going. He flipped the channel, not wanting to deal with it, when his phone rang.

It was his father, he'd been expecting this and he closed his eyes as he answered with a small. "Hello."

"What were you doing Kyoya?" Yes, his father wasn't happy; though his tone was controlled the underlying rage was clear. "What a waste, I'll get her a new tutor soon and you can leave your clumsy hands off of this."

"Don't." Kyoya retorted, and then rushed after a moment of his own surprise at the way he's spoken back to his father. "I messed up, it won't happen again. No other tutor can help her like I can. She's doing better in her classes; she's already made huge leaps in understanding. Her mother just asked me to look over her for the rest of the weekend. She also gave me permission to move Kagome to our estate and get her private care while she recovers."

The long silence made the young man more nervous than he cared to admit, it wasn't full proof as Kagome could still refuse but he'd have to make it work. Pressure had him bluffing it as a possibility before he could completely think it through.

"This is your last chance Kyoya." The answer was begrudging and a click followed it. Kyoya let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He slid the phone closed and into a pocket as he sighed. Things were much more on edge than he would prefer. He hadn't been able to put much time into managing his personal investments and while he wasn't losing anything, he hadn't really been making much money since he started teaching Kagome either.

The door opened and he had to stop feeling sorry for himself. Kagome offered a weak smile and he mirrored it only through years of practicing emotions he didn't feel. There were bruises all over the side of her face and her left leg was suspended upward with a cast covering it. He could see other bandaging and bruises and he waited until they got her bed in place before taking one of her hands.

If the man wasn't already in prison, he'd of been tempted to send the security forces to beat him to death.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Kyoya asked lightly, squeezing her hand gently after she squeezed his. "I already spoke to your mother and she's fine with it, I'd like to have you moved to my home after your recovery is complete. It will be more comfortable for you and easier for us to work together on school work."

"Mmm? You don't have to do that. I don't want to be a bother Kyoya." Kagome answered with a tired smile. "Where's my mom?"

"She had to work and asked me to stay. It's my fault you are torn up like this Kagome; I would like to repay that. Besides, if you need further reason it will be easier for me to be able to teach you from my home than coming here all the time. I will be able to arrange the teachers to come and give you the exams and any lecture easier than the hospital. It would be more convenient for everyone involved." Kyoya hadn't had much time to prepare an argument, but this worked well.

"I…guess." Kagome accented. "If Mom's okay with it, I don't want to take anymore of your time. I'm glad you are okay, I was worried you might have been worse."

"Kagome, you idiot. You're the one that got hurt, don't cry, it's over now." Kyoya replied, leaning forward to wipe tears from her eyes with his free hand.

"I'm sorry." Kagome sniffed and did her best to push the desire to cry away. "I think I'm just tired…I'm going to try to sleep. You should go, I'll be fine."

"I'll manage here." Kyoya replied. "I told your mother I'd look after you, what sort of gentleman would I be if I left."

"Don't you need to study for your own classes?" Kagome asked, wondering where the time suddenly came from. There was no way he could afford spending all this extra time with her. "I don't want you to suffer for my sake Kyoya."

"I can study while you rest, unless you need something specific. The school has already been informed of the accident and I have someone bringing my work here. When school starts on Monday you will stay at the estate and I'll bring home work to you when I come back." Kyoya actually thought it would work well; most of his family wouldn't even be there. Generally they were up early and back late, only his sister was likely to be around and she did her best to be good company. Usually weekends were very empty days; he usually wasn't at the house himself unless it was to study so it wouldn't be much of a change in schedule. He'd have to let Tamaki and the others help the first few days so they didn't get the wrong idea, though rumors were likely to result he didn't particularly care. No one could blame him for taking care of her after what she did for him.

"Fine, fine…" Kagome relented; in truth she was glad to have someone there even though she was already losing consciousness again. The drugs were working on her system. It was sort of a pity that there were witnesses or she could have used her powers to heal herself. That was one of the few things she was good at with her priestess abilities but she had to hide those.

"_I wonder what he'd think of me if he knew the sort of things I can actually do?"_ Kagome thought as her eyes closed, drifting closer to unconsciousness. _"It's too bad I can't tell anyone, it's sort of cute whenever he acts really surprised. Though, he'd probably just decide I was a crazy person instead of believing me unless I showed him."_

Kyoya held her hand until she passed out, and then started as he noticed another man standing nearby; he hadn't heard them step in at all. He offered a light nod politely but the man ignored him, they were still looking at Kagome and were difficult to read.

The fellow was about the same age as his oldest brother, mid to late twenties, he had long black hair pulled into a pony tail and the same shadowed bangs hung just over deep blue, cobalt colored eyes. His flesh was a pale cream color and without a single blemish, strong features and a frame that could easily had made them a pretty penny if he was young enough to be in the host club. He wore a suit of exceptional quality, obviously specifically tailored for him. It was a white color with a crimson tie, and cufflinks with a cherry blossom pattern.

Kyoya started to say something but the man turned toward him and there was a warning in that gaze froze the younger man. The mysterious stranger then paused, looking back toward Kagome again. Following that gaze back Kyoya frowned again, without a syllable having been uttered Kyoya could feel the disapproval.

By the time Kyoya found his voice again the mystery visitor had left again, as silently and quickly as he'd arrived. The young man sat down in the chair he'd tugged closer to the bed with a small swallow, the pattern on the cufflinks was the one the Inutenko family used as its house crest and in its business dealings. So the connection that he'd been informed of was real, and they were certainly looking after her, that short visit had been a subtle warning…

**End Chapter**

I did a lot of editing on this chapter; I had to have changed and deleted a couple paragraphs at least ten times! So, I'm sure people can guess who the mystery guest in Kagome's room was!

_-Nera_

_**P.S.**_ Again, I have to thank you all for your support and love of my fiction. Without it I certainly wouldn't have gotten this far. It's a hard fic to write for, I think if I only wrote this one for me and not also fans, I wouldn't write it at all. I apologize for any grammar issues in prior chapters, I will attempt to return to them if I ever get the time for it. I know it's been a long while since I first posted them. For those with concerns about Kagome's actions, I feel like being hit on by new men is different than growing adjusted to getting hit on by old ones. (I.E. Kouga) Also actually liking the person makes you more likely to become embarrassed imo.


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